REV IT UP READING ® 10 Minutes to Faster Reading Created by ABBY MARKS BEALE Author of www.RevItUpReading.com © Rev It Up Reading www.RevItUpReading.com 10 Minutes to Faster Reading www.RevItUpReading.com What’s Your Attitude? The way you think and feel about yourself as reader says a lot about how you approach and manage your reading Fill in the blank below with the first word or words that comes to mind about what you think of yourself as a reader: I am a reader Your response will most likely fall into one of two major categories: negative or positive Common negative terms include "slow", "lazy", "overwhelmed" or "frustrated" while the more positive ones include "good", "avid", or "voracious" Whatever your attitude, it makes sense that those with a more negative attitude typically read less and find reading to be more boring and a chore Those with a more positive attitude usually read more and find reading to be a more satisfying experience So how you go from a more negative attitude to a more positive one (or a positive one to an even more positive one)? Learn simple speed reading strategies to make your reading smarter, faster and just plain better! What’s YOUR Speed? Take this quick speed test to see where you are right now Use a watch with a second hand, the timer in your cell phone or go to www.online-stopwatch.com to get a digital timer you can use for this exercise Time yourself reading normally on the text on the left and when you are done, write your reading time in the space provided Then find your words per minute on the chart on page © Rev It Up Reading www.RevItUpReading.com BEGIN TIMED READING HERE: When the last book in the Harry Potter series came out in July of 2007, Anne Jones, a Five Time World Speed Reading Champion from England, read the 750 page book in just 47 minutes and one second! That's a world record-breaking 4,244 words per minute In 1999, The Guinness Book of World Records includes Howard Berg from Texas as the world's fastest reader clocking in at 25,000 words per minute or 80 pages per minute Unbelievable, yet true, with comprehension to boot! Still you might be surprised to learn that less than 1% of the U.S adult population reads at speeds above 400 words per minute, and the average person reads around 250 words per minute You don't have to be one of those statistics! With any of our speed reading classes, books or computer programs and an eager state of mind, you can join the ranks of record holders - or at least get a little closer to their words per minute If you're like most people, you've probably never had the opportunity to take a speed reading course or otherwise test your reading speed and comprehension And if you did, it was only a snapshot in time given the conditions under which you read: how easy/difficult the material was, how tired you were, why you were reading, how interested you were, how hungry you were, how many distractions surrounded you, and so on It's time to remedy that and take a closer look at how you read now Wherever you are, give yourself credit for how much you have achieved and how far you have come with the skills you currently possess If you are looking to improve your reading abilities, Rev It Up Reading can help you read smarter, faster and just plain better Here's to speeding through your reading! Your Reading Time: _ Reading Time Words Per Min Reading Time Words Per Min Reading Time Words Per Min 7-12 sec 1520 55 secs-1 304 1:43-1:48 168 13-18 sec 1013 1:00- 1:06 276 1:49-1:54 160 19-24 sec 760 1:07-1:12 253 1:55-2:00 152 25-30 sec 608 1:13-1:18 233 2:00- 2:06 144 31-36 sec 506 1:19-1:24 217 2:07-2:12 138 37-42 sec 434 1:25-1:30 202 2:13-2:18 132 43-48 sec 380 1:31-1:36 190 2:19-2:24 126 49-54 sec 337 1:37-1:42 178 2:25-2:30 122 © Rev It Up Reading www.RevItUpReading.com WHAT YOUR NUMBERS MEAN: Those who read between 100-200 words per minute are considered to be slow readers and typically mentally whisper or pronounce every word they see in their heads The average adult reads between 200 and 300 words per minute Naturally faster readers read above 300 words per minute Many people read at speeds above 800 words per minute and still maintain excellent comprehension It really is possible to read faster, get more done, and have more time for what's important to you Try the strategies that are discussed in the following steps and perform the other reading test to see if you’ve made any improvements Quiet That Voice in Your Head If you read between 100-and 300 words per minute, you decode or sound out some or all of the words you see You are mentally whispering, subvocalizing, or more commonly reading word-for-word when you read You look at the word, mentally (or physically with your lips) sound it out so you can “hear” it, then process it’s meaning in the brain Faster readers, those who read over 300 words per minute, very little of this because they have figured out how to read groups of words or thoughts instead of one word at a time If you subvocalize, know you are not alone! When you first learned to read and if you were taught using the phonics method, you learned to sound out each word and hear it in your head This is a good beginning reader strategy; however, as you got older, say around 7th grade, no one told you that you didn’t have to that word-for-word decoding anymore Once you have a solid sight vocabulary, you can move on to more advanced strategies So if you now want to start curbing your word-for-word reading, here are some suggestions: Be aware and catch yourself doing it! Read faster (you can't talk word-for-word as much this way) Put your index finger up to your lips (like you were saying “hush” to a baby) if you sound out the words Read just the key words (3 letters or longer) Use your hand or a card to speed you up (these smart strategies are taught in the Rev It Up Reading online course) Press your tongue to the roof of your mouth while you read Important note: Word-for-word reading can be greatly reduced by learning faster reading strategies © Rev It Up Reading www.RevItUpReading.com Put the Pedal to the Metal One of the most popular speed reading strategies we teach is called the White Card Method About 80% of readers who try it really find it useful as a starter method Locate a blank 3X5 card (or the blank back side of a business card will do) and place it ON TOP of the words covering the text you already read, leaving exposed the words yet to read Use the narrow side of the card for narrow columns and the wider side of the card for wider columns If the column width is very wide, then tape two cards together This card does three things: 1) it forces you to focus on the line the card is on, 2) reduces your tendency to go back to what you already read and 3) it helps you read faster Experiment with it on a favorite magazine, newspaper or book! Get Back on the Road With this new knowledge about how you read and what you can about it, now try reading the passage below again timing yourself using the White Card Method and any of the other ideas you read about here to reduce the talking in your head Just like you did in Step 1, use a watch with a second hand, the timer in your cell phone or go to www.online-stopwatch.com to get a digital timer for this exercise Time yourself; write down how long it took you to read Then find your words per minute on the time chart (page 2) Compare your first score with the second BEGIN TIMED READING HERE: Did you know that you have a built-in reading stick-shift? It consists of five gears with gear one being very slow up through gear five being overdrive Most readers are stuck in first or second gear because they just don't know how to get into gears three, four or five A good speed reading course or book will show you how to expand your peripheral vision to see more at a glance — with comprehension — and provide you with simple options you didn't even know existed! Probably THE most useful speed strategy is one that you probably never learned to do: Read effectively with your hands or a white card When doing research for The Complete Idiot's Guide to Speed Reading, I re-read (okay, skimmed thoroughly!) over 30 books on speed reading I was looking for the most important ideas shared by these authors Not surprising, every book talked about the use of one's hands or a card to read faster Continue next page © Rev It Up Reading www.RevItUpReading.com Speed reading is also being able to get what you need quickly without wasting time By starting every reading by thinking about WHY you are reading this and WHAT you need it for, you set a mental intention to look for specific things and pass over the unimportant ones You also tend to read more quality material instead of just quantity If you have interest in learning more and want to read a good book on the topic, then consider going to your local library or bookstore and get a copy of either 10 Days to Faster Reading or The Complete Idiot's Guide to Speed Reading If you want more personal guidance and instruction in an interactive online course, then seriously consider taking the Rev It Up Reading Online Course It WILL get you up to speed with what you read! Your Reading Time: _ Beginning words per minute _ Ending words per minute _ Want to get up to speed with what you read? TAKE REV IT UP READING! (An interactive and fun online speed reading course) Many users double, even triple their reading speed Others improve their concentration so comprehension is improved Overall, you WILL be a better reader at the end of the course! • Learn Speed Reading Strategies — If you never took a speed reading course, then you don’t know what you can to make reading faster and better Here you will learn your options and pick those that work best for you • FREE 10 Days To Faster Reading ebook included with the course (122 pages) • Interactive Course —This course is NOT your typical online course! It is narrated and animated to keep your attention • Expert Help 24/7 — Email Abby (the course creator) anytime with your questions • Money Back Guarantee — If you aren’t completely satisfied with your results, you can request a full refund (less $20 admin fee) within 15 days of your completion www.RevItUpReading.com • info@RevItUpReading.com Toll-free (USA) 1-877-664-READ (7323) In CT 203-949-9153 Use Coupon Code: REVITUP50 to get $50 OFF your REV IT UP READING ® course price (retail value $199)! © Rev It Up Reading www.RevItUpReading.com